Bajor's Mercy: The Arrival
by Legolas0
Summary: A trip to 21st century Earth forces the crew of the Defiant to make a few adjustments.


This is a short oneshot previewing an eventual story that will be posted after I finish Will of Fate. I wrote this just for fun and for a laugh.

Timeline: Post "What You Leave Behind"

* * *

"Captain, we have stabilized at one quarter impulse," Nog said, hands dashing over the CONN.

"Where are we?" Captain Kira Nerys said.

"In orbit above the dark side of Earth's moon," answered Dax, quickly falling into her former role of science officer. Sometimes, when Kira looked at the slight woman, she could almost imagine Jadzia smiling out through that face.

"And, _when_ are we?" Julian asked.

"Judging by the position of the stars and the absence of Lake Armstrong and all other lunar features," Ezri said, "I'd say we're in the early twenty-first century."

"Alright," Kira surged out of her seat in the captain's chair, "We've arrived. Now to find Kassidy, Benji, and Jake. We'll beam down to the planet in two teams. Chief, you're with me; we'll beam down to east coast of the North American Continent. Ezri and Julian, you'll beam down on the west coast, in San Fransisco. Keep comm silence unless there's an emergency…"

"Captian, Ezri, get over here," Julian interrupted, waving a medical implement in the air.

"What? Why?" Dax eyed the device suspiciously.

"Oh, I don't know," Julian said, "it's pretty safe to say no human has ever seen a Ferangi, Trill, or Bajoran."

"We should also replicate some period clothing," O'Brien commented casually, exiting the bridge a moment later.

Julian strode over to Dax with his long strides and grabbed her by the shoulder. Wordlessly, holding the device up to her temple, he activated it. A moment later, her spots began to disappear.

"Hey!" she squealed, ducking away from him angrily. "What're you doing?"

"Ezri," he answered calmly, "You are not going to tell every human you meet down there that you have tattoos."

"I've done it before!" she snapped.

"When there was no other choice," Julian's patient was beginning to wane. He grabbed her shoulder again and began erasing her spots again. "It's only temporary. When our mission is completed, I'll reverse the effects."

"What is that thing?" Kira asked.

"A dermal camouflage unit," Bashir explained. "It's capable of slight alterations to the outer layer of a subject's skin, allowing aliens to blend in with other species. It was developed by Starfleet for operatives surveying primitive civilizations." He moved onto the other side of Dax's face after finishing the right side. "I believe this qualifies as primitive."

Finishing with Dax, the Doctor turned his attention to Kira. "Hold still," he ordered, waving the unit in front of her face.

"Doctor!" Nerys dashed around Bashir, strategically placing the captain's seat between herself and the human. "It's a nose!"

"Yes," Bashir said.

"If I have to bid farewell to my spots," Ezri said, "you can part with your nose."

"I think there's a big difference between a bunch of polka-dots and my nose," Kira snapped.

"Polka-dots?" Dax's eyebrow shot up.

"How is there a difference?" Bashir took a cautious step towards Nerys.

"Bone structure!" Kira backed into the tactical console.

"Big deal," Bashir pinned her against the console, grabbed the back of her head to hold it steady, and attacked with the unit. He smirked when he saw Ezri's face go green with envy.

"All done!" He took a step back. Kira's hand's flew to her face, pinching and stroking the bridge of her nose.

"You evil, evil man." She glared at Julian.

O'Brien returned, handing a stack of clothes to each of them.

"What are these?" Bashir held up a bundle of strange blue material.

"According to the computer," Obrien said, unfolding a striped button-up shirt, "their called 'jeans'. Very popular during this period of history."

"They're so… stiff!" exclaimed Julian. "How could anyone wear something like this?"

"Miles…" Ezri said very slowly. Anyone who'd known Jadzia knew that tone. "Is this… a …. dress?"

"Oh boy," Nog said, not looking up from his post at the CONN. "Glad I'm not going down there with her."

* * *

Please R&R


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